Overview
Endless is a two-player compact abstract strategy game with a simple ruleset that inspires unique tactics.
Players have to think outside the box as the game progresses and the board shrinks, causing pieces to become closer together and defensive positions to be reformed. Players have agency during each phase of the game: they choose their starting positions, they move and rotate their pieces during the match, and they place pieces they chose to omit from their starting setup onto the board during the game! Because there are so many opportunities to make unique, creative choices throughout the course of the game, each match of Endless truly feels unique.
Video Explanation
Playtesting
Endless has been played by people as young as five all the way up to their people in their sixties and seventies, and I’ve received positive feedback from all of them! I’ve tested it at numerous events / gatherings, and I’ll list a few:
- Origins Game Fair
- PAX East
- Omar’s World of Comics
- I held a tournament for my unsuspecting friends :)
- BOINGA
- Boston FIG
- Chicago Toy and Game Fair
… and, of course, many individual matches in various locations all over the place! Great feedback and insights can come from anywhere.
The things I’m personally most proud about regarding Endless:
There are so many starting setups to choose from, but you can run the same one again if you feel like running a specific strategy!
I can reliably teach someone the rules in under a minute and thirty seconds, and get them playing with a moderate level of confidence.
I’ve been told by several playtesters, “This is the game I’ll remember for the rest of the week”. I obviously have no way of knowing if they did end up thinking about it again, but it makes me happy to know I’ve made something that inspires people to say that.
I’ve played this game too many times to count, and I’m still not tired of it. Also, I’ve definitely improved (I lost the first game of Endless ever played, and it wasn’t even close), but some exceptionally talented playtesters have beaten me first try, which is a testament to how quickly people are able to grasp the mechanics.
I’ve watched a six year old beat their parent almost effortlessly, which was both incredibly impressive and also hilarious. That’s probably one of my most memorable playtests to date, for any game.
And most importantly, I’m happy to see people have fun because of something I made. I don’t know what’s going on in someone’s life when they’re playing my game, but my hope is that while they’re playing, they’re having fun and that fun will stick with them for a little while. And Endless seems to be doing a pretty good job of that.
P.S. There’s an ‘expansion’ (I’m not really sure if that’s the right term) in the works! It adds a second ring to the board, significantly expanding the complexity of each term for players who’d like that (myself included), and players can transfer pieces between rings and set up plays never even imaginable in the base game! It’s nowhere near as polished yet, but it works well enough, and early playtesters have absolutely loved it!